Hurtigruten – What can you expect.

I wrote a blog recently about a company I’ve been hearing more and more about recently. Hurtigruten. Since then I’ve received a flurry of questions about this company and the cruises they operate. It’s for this reason that I have decided to start a series of blogs that will take on all aspects of Hurtigruten. Todays blog is going to be about why you should pick Hurtigruten in the first place and what you can expect to do whilst on the cruise.

The first and main reason anyone would look at Hurtigruten for a cruise is the northern lights. They are one of the only companies to sail above the Arctic Circle, and as far as I’m aware at least, the only company to specialise in it.
I know it’s only my opinion but the northern lights really are one of those things that should be on everyone’s “top ten things to see before I die” list. Technically they can be seen from anywhere in the northern hemisphere but northern Norway is one of the best places on the planet to see them. Caused by solar particles interacting with the earths magnetic fields the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis to give it its correct name, is one of the most stunning sights that can be witnessed. It also doesn’t hurt your chances that above the Arctic Circle you will only have four or five hours of daylight – definitely not a cruise for people seeking to come back with a tan!
But there’s so much more to do on these cruises and over the coming days and weeks I’ll be letting you know a lot more about these activities, but for now here’s a sneak preview.

Snowmobile safaris
Share a meal with the indigenous Sami people whilst on a ‘light hunt’.
Visit the Lofoten Islands – quite often voted as one of/the most beautiful place on the planet.
Visit a Glacier.
Watch Reindeers being herded.
Go potholing.
You can go ice hole fishing (yes people really do this).
You can go Husky sledding.
You can take a shore excursion to do some cross-country skiing

Enjoy a Viking style feast in a local village.
Sample local beers in the planets most northern brewery

And believe me I haven’t even touched on half of what’s available on these cruises yet. Watch this space!

Happy Cruising.